Isaiah 28
1 Terrible things will happen to [Samaria city, the capital of Israel]! It is on a hill above a fertile valley; the people who live there, who get drunk by drinking too much wine, are very proud; it is a beautiful and glorious city, but some day that beauty will disappear like [MET] a flower that wilts and dries up.
Nnome nka nhwiren abotire a ɛyɛ Efraim asabofoɔ ahohoahoadeɛ no, nka nhwiren a ɛrepa a nʼahoɔfɛ wɔ animuonyam ma Israelfoɔ na ɛda asase bereɛ bɔnhwa so. Nnome nka kuropɔn no, deɛ nnipa a nsa asɛe wɔn no de hoahoa wɔn ho no.
2 Listen to this: Yahweh will cause a great army to attack Samaria. Their soldiers will be like [SIM] a huge hailstorm [or] a very strong wind; they will be everywhere, like the water of a huge flood, and they will smash to the ground [the buildings in Samaria].
Hwɛ, Awurade wɔ obi a ɔwɔ tumi ne ahoɔden. Ɔte sɛ asukɔtweaa ne mframa a ɛsɛe adeɛ. Ɔte sɛ osutɔ a ɛne mframa nam, ne osubrane a ɛhyɛ nsuka ma. Ɔbɛto no ahwe fam ahoɔden so.
3 The people of Samaria are proud, but everything that the drunks who live there think is wonderful/glorious will be trampled on by their enemies.
Saa nhwiren abotire no a ɛyɛ Efraim asabofoɔ ahohoahoadeɛ no, wɔbɛtiatia so.
4 [Yes], Samaria is beautiful, set on a hill above a fertile valley, but that beauty will disappear like [MET] a flower that wilts and dries up. Whenever someone sees a good fig at the beginning of the season [when figs become ripe], he quickly picks and eats it; [similarly, when the enemies of Israel see all the beautiful things in Samaria], [they will quickly conquer the city and take away all those things].
Saa nhwiren a nʼahoɔfɛ ɛrepa wɔ animuonyam mu deɛ ɛda asase bereɛ bɔnhwa so no, ɛbɛyɛ sɛ borɔdɔma a ɛbere ansa na otwa berɛ aduru. Sɛ obi hunu na ɔte a ɔdi no ntɛm so.
5 At that time, the Commander of the armies of angels will be [like] a glorious wreath of flowers for [us] Israeli people who are still alive [after being exiled].
Saa ɛda no Asafo Awurade bɛyɛ Animuonyam ahenkyɛ, nhwiren abotire fɛfɛ ama ne nkurɔfoɔ nkaeɛfoɔ no.
6 He will cause our judges to want to do what is fair/just when they decide people’s cases. He will enable the soldiers who stand at the city gates to strongly defend [the city when our enemies attack it].
Ɔbɛyɛ atɛntenenee honhom ama ɔtemmufoɔ a wɔte adwa mu. Ɔbɛyɛ ahoɔden farebae ama wɔn a wɔpam atamfoɔ wɔ nkuro apono ano.
7 [But now, ] our leaders stagger/stumble because they have drunk a lot of wine and [other] alcoholic drinks. The priests and prophets also stagger because of drinking a lot of wine and other alcoholic drinks. They are not able to think right; they see visions but they cannot understand what they mean; they are unable to decide things correctly.
Nanso seesei deɛ, asabofoɔ na wɔdi Israel so, na nsaden ma wɔhinhim; nsaden ma asɔfoɔ ne adiyifoɔ tɔ ntentan na nsã ma wɔn ani so yɛ wɔn totɔtotɔ; na wɔhinhim. Wɔtɔ ntentan ɛberɛ a wɔrenya anisoadehunu, na wɔn ano fonfom wɔ adwenkyerɛ mu.
8 All their tables are covered with [their] vomit; filth is everywhere.
Ɛfeɛ agugu apono nyinaa so, na baabiara ayɛ efi.
9 They ridicule Yahweh saying, “Who does he think that he is teaching? Why is he talking to us like this? [Does he think that] we are little children who have recently been weaned?
Wɔka sɛ, “Deɛn na Awurade dwene fa yɛn ho? Ɔdwen sɛ yɛyɛ mmɔfra anaa? Mmɔfra a wɔatwa wɔn nufoɔ anaa?
10 [He continually tells us], ‘Do this, do that;’ first he tells us one rule, then another rule, he tells us only one line at a time.”
Ɔkasa bebree: Ɔka yei, na waka yei ɔma mmara foforɔ akyi mmara; ɔkyerɛ ɛha kakra, na wakyerɛ ɛhɔ nso kakra.”
11 So now, Yahweh will need to force them to listen to [Assyrians] speaking to them in a language that they do not understand.
Ɛno enti, ɛyɛ ananafoɔ ano ne kasa foforɔ na Onyankopɔn de bɛkasa akyerɛ saa nkurɔfoɔ yi.
12 Yahweh told his people [long ago], “[This is] a place where you can rest; you are exhausted [from all your travels through the desert], but you will be able to rest [in this land].” But they refused to pay attention to what he said.
Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɛha ne ahomegyebea no, momma abrɛfoɔ no nhome; ahodwobea nso nie,” nanso wɔantie no.
13 So Yahweh continues to tell the people of Samaria, one line at a time, “Do this, do that,” first one rule and then another rule. But because [of their ignoring what God said], they will be attacked and defeated; they will be wounded and snared and captured.
Enti afei Awurade bɛti asɛm a ɔde maa wɔn no mu bio: Ɔbɛka yei, na waka yei, ɔbɛma mmara foforɔ akyi mmara; ɔbɛkyerɛ ɛha kakra, na wakyerɛ ɛhɔ nso kakra, na ɛbɛma wɔn apini wɔn akyi; wɔbɛpirapira, na wɔatɔ afidie mu, na wɔakye wɔn.
14 Because of [what will happen in Samaria], you rulers in Jerusalem who make fun of me, listen to this message from Yahweh:
Ɛno enti, montie Awurade asɛm, mo fɛdifoɔ a modi saa nkurɔfoɔ yi so wɔ Yerusalem.
15 You [boast] saying, “We have made an alliance with [the leaders of Egypt], so we will not be killed [in battles]; we will never go to the place where the dead people are. When the [army of Assyria] attacks us, they will never defeat us, because we have made [an agreement with Egypt] to protect us!” [But that agreement consists of] a lot of lies [DOU]. (Sheol h7585)
Mohoahoa mo ho sɛ, “Yɛ ne owuo ayɛ apam, yɛ ne damena ayɛ nhyehyɛeɛ sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den ba a, ɛrentumi nka yɛn, ɛfiri sɛ yɛde atorɔ ayɛ yɛn dwanekɔbea ne nnaadaa ayɛ yɛn atɛeɛ.” (Sheol h7585)
16 Therefore, Yahweh [our] Lord says this: “Listen to this! I am going to place in Jerusalem [someone who is like] [MET] a foundation stone, [he is like] a stone that has been tested [to determine if it is solid]. [He will be like] a valuable cornerstone around which it will be safe to build a house; and whoever trusts in him will never be disappointed.
Enti, deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie, “Hwɛ! Mede ɛboɔ bi retim Sion, ɛboɔ a wɔasɔ ahwɛ, tweatiboɔ a ɛsom bo ma fapem a ɛyɛ den; deɛ ɔde ne ho to soɔ no abasa mu rentu.
17 I will test you [people of Jerusalem] to find out if you will act justly and righteously [like] [MET] someone uses a plumb line [to determine if a wall is straight and vertical]. But because your agreement [with Egypt] to protect you [was made by leaders] lying to each other and deceiving each other, you will be defeated and taken away [from your country] by [an army that will come against you like] [MET] a flood.
Mede atɛntenenee bɛyɛ susuhoma na teneneeyɛ ayɛ ɔfasuo kyirebennyɛ susuhoma. Asukɔtweaa bɛsɛe wo dwanekɔbea, a ɛyɛ atorɔ no, na nsuo abɛkata wʼatɛeɛ hɔ.
18 I will annul/destroy the agreement that you made [with the leaders of Egypt]. You thought that [because of that agreement] you would not be killed, and you would not go to the place where the dead are. [But] when the vast [army of Assyria] overwhelms you like a flood, they will trample you into the ground. (Sheol h7585)
Mɛtwa apam a wo ne owuo ayɛ no mu; nhyehyɛeɛ a wo ne damena ayɛ no nso rennyina. Sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den no ba a, ɛbɛtwi afa mo so. (Sheol h7585)
19 Their soldiers will come during the morning, at noontime, and at night, and they will carry you all away.” And when you understand this message, you will be terrified.
Mperɛ dodoɔ biara a ɛbɛba no, ɛbɛsoa mo akɔ; anɔpa, awia ne anadwo biara, ɛbɛfa mu akɔ.” Saa nkra yi nteaseɛ de ehu bɛba.
20 [You have heard people say], “Your bed is very short, you will not be able to sleep in it; your blankets are very narrow; they will not cover you!” [That means for you that your agreement with Egypt is not going to save you].
Mpa no yɛ tia dodo ma sɛ wɔtene wɔn mu wɔ so. Nnasoɔ no yɛ tiaa sɛ ɛbɛ so wɔn ho kata.
21 Yahweh will come [and cause you to be defeated]; he will do to you like he did to the army of Philistia at Perizim Mountain and like he did to the Amor people-group at Gibeon Valley. What he will do will be [very] strange and unusual [DOU].
Awurade bɛsɔre sɛdeɛ ɔsɔree wɔ Perasim bepɔ so no. Ɔbɛkanyane ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔyɛɛ wɔ Gibeon Bɔnhwa mu no yɛɛ nʼadwuma nwanwasoɔ no, na ɔdii dwumadie a ebi mmaa da no.
22 The Commander of the armies of angels has told me that he is going to destroy the entire land. So do not ridicule [what I say any more], because if you do that he will punish you [even] more severely.
Afei gyae wo fɛdie no, anyɛ saa a, wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu bɛyɛ duru; Awurade, Asafo Awurade aka akyerɛ me ɔsɛeɛ ho mmaraden a wɔahyɛ atia asase no nyinaa.
23 Listen [IDM] to what I say; pay attention carefully.
Montie na monte me nne; monwɛn mo aso na montie deɛ meka.
24 When a farmer plows some ground, does he never plant seeds [RHQ]? Does he continue to plow it and never plant anything [RHQ]?
Sɛ okuafoɔ funtum asase sɛ ɔrebɛdua so a, ɔyɛ no daa anaa? Ɔkɔ so tutu, fɛntɛm asase no anaa?
25 No, he makes the ground very level, and then he plants seeds— dill and cumin and wheat and barley. He plants each kind of seed in the correct manner.
Sɛ ɔsiesie asase no ani a, ɔnnua ɛme, na ɔmpete tɛtɛ wɔ so anaa? Ɔnnua ayuo ne atokoɔ mu biara wɔ nʼafa anaa?
26 [He does that] because God has taught him the correct way to do it.
Ne Onyankopɔn ma no akwankyerɛ na ɔkyerɛ no ɛkwan pa no.
27 [Farmers] never thresh caraway/dill with a heavy sledge/club; instead, they beat it only with a stick. [Farmers] never thresh cumin by driving a cart over it; instead, they hit it [only] with a rod.
Wɔmfa asaeɛ mpɔ ɛme ho, wɔmfa teaseɛnam hankra mfa tɛtɛ so; wɔde poma na ɛboro ɛme, na wɔde abaa aboro tɛtɛ.
28 And grain for baking bread is crushed easily, so the farmers do not continue to pound it for a long time. They sometimes cause their horses to pull a cart over it [to thresh it], [but] doing that does not grind the grain.
Wɔyam aburoo de to burodo enti obi nnkɔ so nyam a ɔnwie da. Ɛwom sɛ ɔde nʼayuporeɛ teaseɛnam hankra fa so deɛ, nanso ɛnyɛ nʼapɔnkɔ na wɔyam.
29 The Commander of the armies of angels gives [us] wonderful advice [about how to do things]; he causes [us] to be very wise. [So what the farmers do is very smart/wise, but what your leaders are doing is very stupid].
Yeinom nyinaa firi Asafo Awurade, afutuo mu nwanwani, na ne nyansa boro so.
